This is a large district covering much of the London Borough of Islington [27].

The south of the district borders the City of London and Clerkenwell and was long seen as something of a poor relation to those two areas. That all started to change in the 1980s though when the typical Victorian houses of Islington became very desirable and the area went through huge gentrification to become a highly fashionable address. The area around The Angel, Upper Street and Essex Road is of special interest to visitors it is home to a number of interesting shops selling antiques and collectibles as well as art galleries.

The Typical Victorian Architecture of Islington

Further north, the district becomes a little less grand and largely lower-end residential. Finsbury Park is an area in the north-east of the district which grew up around an important railway interchange at the junction of the London Boroughs of Islington, Haringey and Hackney. The park itself is a large important green space in an otherwise densely populated area.

In the north west of the district its character changes again and Highgate takes on many characteristics of the neigbouring district of Hampstead.

Islington has long been known for its left-wing politics and in the 1980s the oft-used moniker of The Socialist Republic of Islington was not unwarranted. Former Prime Ministers Tony Blair and Gordon Brown both have their London homes in the district, as does current Labour Party leader Jeremy Corbyn, who is also one of the area's two MPs. The legacy of that still remains: The borough's other MP and Council administration are all from the Labour Party and a number of regular festivals of a distinctly liberal nature are hosted here.

City Road Basin Plaza, (Off City Rd next to McDonalds and Texaco. Tube: Angel), ☎+44 20 7253 6512, [2]. A former industrial site which fell into decline in the 50s and 60s. The site remained undeveloped and inaccessible to the public for many years. A multi-million pound project has created public access to the waterway (one of the largest open stretches of water in North London) complete with a newly landscaped public park facing onto the canal. edit

Crafts Council, 44a Pentonville Rd (tube: Angel), ☎+44 20 7278 7700, [3]. Tu-Sa 11:00-17:45, Su 14:00-17:45. This gallery promotes contemporary craftspeople working materials such as metal, glass, pottery and textiles but with a unique take on each medium. The work frequently strays into contemporary art and blurs the border between art and craft. The small shop inside provides individually crafted pieces, that are as expensive as you would expect.Free. edit

Gillespie Park Ecology Centre, Drayton Pk, N5 (Tube: Arsenal). Daily except on Arsenal FC home match days. Award-winning education centre in this small park in a heavily built up area of the district. Managed habitats include woodland, wetland meadows and ponds.edit

Highgate Wood, (tube: Highgate), ☎+44 20 8444 6129 ([email protected]), [4]. A 28 hectare remnant of the great Middlesex Wood which once spread across north London. There is a supervised children's playground, a café and an information centre.edit

Arsenal FC, (Short walk from Finsbury Pk tube station), [8]. The famous Premier League club play at the Emirates Stadium in the north of the district. Count yourself very lucky if you can secure a ticket!edit

Everyman Screen on the Green (formerly Screen on the Green), 83 Upper St, N1 0NU (tube: Angel, 5 min walk up Upper St), [9]. One of the leading art house cinemas in London. Recently refurbished.edit

Rise, (tube: Finsbury Pk). Anti-racism festival. Every summer the mayor of London hosts this. This has been held in Finsbury Pk for many years and has seen acts such as Kelis, Jimmy Cliff and Lily Allen all play there. Bob Dylan, Blur and Oasis have also played concerts there.edit

Camden Passage Antiques Centre, Camden Passage, N1 8ED (tube: Angel), [11]. One of London's leading antique and collectible centres for the past 40 years. The complex is home to dealers in a wide variety of fields and is a must for any visitor to London interested in antiques. Controversially, the main arcade has now become another branch of Jack Wills, but many dealers remain in the area.edit

Map, Junction Rd. Trendy gift shop with cool products. Much too nice to be in Archway!edit

Diners are spoiled for choice in Islington, especially the Upper Street area between Angel and Highbury & Islington tube stations. A wide variety of cuisine and price ranges are available. Mediterranean food dominates but with options like Indian, Afghan, Italian, French, Thai, and South American there is food for all tastes.

A few minutes walk from Archway station up Highgate Hill will lead you to Highgate, the upmarket end of Archway. There are a selection of nice cafes, restaurants and pubs to choose from. Swain's Lane, five to ten minutes walk from Archway station just near Hampstead Heath, has a few nice places to eat.

Angel to Upper Street can be a diner's paradise if you know where to go. Close to Angel places are geared towards the daytime sandwich eaters and coffee drinkers. From Islington Green on you will generally find nicer restaurants at better value. As a rule, the further towards Highbury & Islington the cheaper the restaurants, although the quality does not necessarily decline. Take a walk down the side-streets too as they hold some of the best restaurants, pubs, and bars.

In Archway, coming out of the tube station you will see two kebab houses on Junction Road, neither of which are anything special, but rather comically one carries the slogan "Best kebabs in UK" while the other says "Best kebab in world". These are not to be believed. May find other interesting little restaurants down Holloway Road.

The Finsbury Park area is home to many minority groups such as Algerians, Greeks, Turks, and sub-Saharan Africans and as such has some of the most diverse range of restaurants available in London. Down Blackstock Road, a locals' favourite is Sim Sim. Just outside the station on Seven Sisters Road, The Red Zone offers cheap but good food.

The Afghan Kitchen, 35 Islington Green, N1 8DU (tube: Angel), ☎+44 20 7359 8019. One of the best cheap eats in London. Authentic Afghan food which is a hugely better than you expect when looking at the place!edit

Mem & Laz, 8 Therberton St, N1 0QX (tube: Angel), ☎+44 20 7704 9089. Large menu of great Mediterranean food, friendly staff, very reasonably priced. Their lunchtime TWO-course special for around £8 and THREE-course special for around £10 are available to 6PM, an excellent option for an early dinner.edit

Faultering Fullback, 19 Perth Rd, N4 3HB (tube: Finsbury Pk). Beautiful pub, popular with locals watching football and eating their Thai Food. Since the smoking ban, a large amount of money has been spent on the beer garden at the rear, which now offers a wooden mezzanine floor.edit

Pembury Hotel, 326-328 Seven Sisters Rd, N4 2AP (tube: Finsbury Pk). Budget hotel right opposite Finsbury Pk Stn. Popular with football fans as it is close to The Emirates Stadium. Read the reviews on TripAdvisor before booking!From £40. edit

This is a usable article. It has information for getting in as well as some complete entries for restaurants and hotels. An adventurous person could use this article, but please plunge forward and help it grow!